1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illuminated flying disk which has rings of controllable battery-operated lights on its upper surface which may be illuminated in various configurations to allows the disk to be easily seen and used for recreational purposes even when it is dark outside.
2. Description of the Related Art
Several references uncovered in the search show various flying disks which have battery-operated lights associated with them. U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,098 to Balogh appears to show an illuminated flying disk comprised of a plurality of lights that are controlled using a circuit and switch on the underside of the device to provide a strobe effect. However, this disk does not appear to provide any variation in the lighting sequence which might provide for a more aesthetically pleasing and less monotonous display.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,184 to Balogh appears to show an illuminated flying disk with two opposed housings having a battery and lights carefully situated to equally distribute the weight for improved stability. However, this disclosure pertains primarily to the placement of the housings to optimize aerodynamic stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,531 to Kutnyak appears to show an illuminated flying disk with means to control a plurality of integral high intensity light sources. However, Kutnyak appears to contemplate placement of lights inside of a translucent disk, thereby imparting a glowing effect throughout the disk body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,917 to Lee appears to show an illuminated flying disk with a number of incandescent lamps that are capable of flashing at shorter intervals when the disk is in motion. However, Lee is addressed primarily to varying the pulse rate with varying spin rate of the disk.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
It is an object of the invention to produce an illuminated flying disk which can be used for recreational purposes even when the level of ambient light is extremely low. Accordingly, this invention is a flying disk which has battery-operated lights associated with its surface thereby allowing it to be easily seen even when it is very dark outside.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a user with a variety of visual effects. Accordingly, when the battery-operated lighting system is employed, the user has a choice of three settings, each which provides its own interesting visual effects by controlling the illumination of the individual lights according to various predetermined functionalities.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a toy which can be easily used during daylight conditions as well as during nighttime. Accordingly, this flying disk is equipped with an on/off switch to allow the user to choose battery operated lighting if appropriate under the prevailing light conditions, or to switch off the battery operated lighting if unnecessary.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device which is aesthetically pleasing to the viewer. Accordingly, the unit which controls the lighting effects and the batteries are located on the bottom portion of the flying disk and therefore they are not as readily seen when the disk is in motion.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a flying disk which is aerodynamically stable in spite of the associated battery-operated lighting system. Accordingly, the control system is centrally located on the bottom surface and does not effect the symmetry of the disk.
The invention is an illuminated flying disk with three concentric rings located on its upper surface, each ring made up of a plurality of independently addressable individual light bulbs which enables it to be seen even under low ambient lighting conditions. The bottom surface of the disk has a centrally located battery housing unit for holding the batteries and a control unit. Adjacent to the battery storage unit is an on/off switch and a mode selector which allows a choice of three settings for the light display system. The first setting provides for constant emission of light from all bulbs at all times. The second setting provides for a lighting effect which entails sequential lighting of adjacent individual bulbs located on each ring, thereby imparting an illusion of moving light around the ring. The third setting allows for alternate flashing between successive rings. By choosing one of the three settings, the user determines which visual effect to enable.